


When He Sees Me

by lostin_space



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Wings, High School, M/M, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-26 07:13:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20926223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostin_space/pseuds/lostin_space
Summary: Truly it was Max who had the problem. He’s the one whose wings get trigger happy every time Liz Ortecho looks in his direction. The fact that Isobel and Max were standing over Michael because he’d been the one to fuck up was actually insane.





	When He Sees Me

**Author's Note:**

> i've been listening to the Wayward Son audiobook and I fell in love with wings. Like so much so that this will probably be an entire universe. I love it. Wing good.

Michael Guerin tried.

He really did, he would swear that up and down no matter how many times Isobel and Max told him _not enough_. The actual day to day act of hiding his wings wasn’t hard, surprisingly. All he had to do was avoid taking his shirt off around other people and also made sure he stretched them out when he could. If he did that, he could keep them tucked neatly into his back.

Truly it was Max who had the problem. He’s the one whose wings get trigger happy every time Liz Ortecho looks in his direction. The fact that Isobel and Max were standing over _him_, scolding _him_, because _he’d_ been the one to fuck up was actually insane.

Yet, he couldn’t stop smiling.

“Will you stop looking so proud?” Isobel hissed.

On the couch at the other side of the room in the dark cabin, Alex Manes was curled up in all black. A dark, furry blanket was draped over him and he was breathing deep and slow. It had Michael reeling, just looking at him. He knew it was wrong when he let Alex see the scars, but he couldn’t help it. They’d been kissing and Alex felt the deformed skin of his back. He looked so concerned and Michael didn’t know how to assure him without _showing_ him. He was about three seconds away from letting Alex see his wings in all their glory when Isobel and Max came in and she’d gotten in his mind to make him sleep.

“We can trust him,” Michael said softly. He knew they could. Alex was an outsider‒he’d get it. It wasn’t until after he replayed that moment of being rudely interrupted when Alex was kissing over the entrance/exit wounds that he realized he hadn’t told them where he was. “Wait, how are you here?”

“What do you _mean_ how are we here?” Isobel asked.

“We’re at Sheriff Valenti’s hunting. I sure as hell didn’t _tell_ you I was coming to put my DNA all over everything in the Sherrif’s cabin,” Michael said. Isobel wrinkled her nose, tilting her head in disgust. He didn’t clear up his wording. 

They stared at each other for a moment before Max cracked.

“We followed you,” he admitted and Michael pursed his lips.

“Because we know you’re dangerously close to telling Alex fucking Manes!”

Isobel’s voice was loud enough that Alex stirred. They all froze, watching him as he let out a short high pitched whine as he curled up tighter. Michael’s whole body was tense with adoration. He _really_ wished Max and Isobel would leave so they could be alone again. He liked being alone with Alex. He wanted him to know the truth about it all so that he could be alone with him and have his wings free all at the same time.

“You cannot tell him,” Max said once they decided Alex wasn’t waking up, “If I can’t tell Liz, then‒”

“It’s not the same! Liz isn’t your girlfriend,” Michael argued, “Alex is my… my…”

“Girlfriend?”

All three aliens turned to look at the couch to where Alex was lifting his bedhead, cheeks stained red and his eyes unfocused. Michael breathed slow. God, he was a beauty. 

“No,” Michael answered a little too playfully when his siblings were right there, “We… We’re…”

“Oh my God, this is not the _time_,” Isobel groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You’re right, it’s not. Because none of your trust me and I don’t know why because I haven’t done anything to make you not trust me,” Alex said, sitting up further. Michael could feel his wings pulsating at his back in time with his heart. He couldn’t read Alex’s face. It was slightly terrifying. “So, what’s going on?”

From a young age, they’d learned the best way to keep their secret was to never actually say the _words_. The A-word and the W-word were off-limits if anyone could even possibly hear them. They were always referred to as ‘the secret’. That way, if anyone overheard, they could think it was anything. They could be prolific bank robbers for all they knew. Which left them with a choice in this moment.

They could either tell Alex the truth or they could lie.

“We’re 30-year-old Russian scam artists who committed arson at our first home when they started picking up on what was really happening, that’s why we have scars,” Isobel answered like she had practiced it, a Russian accent slipping through her so naturally that _Michael_ got confused for a moment. Alex made a face that seemed to accent his smudged eyeliner and his nose ring glimmered in the moonlight. His wings pressed harder against his skin.

“I’ve known you for ten years, Isobel,” Alex said, “I know that’s not true. I _know_ you’ve grown.”

They all fell silent again. Alex eventually met Michael’s eyes, a conversation happening between them that he wasn’t completely aware of. But it seemed to settle something in Alex because he nodded and looked to Max and Isobel.

“Look, you guys don’t have to tell me. If you don’t trust me, that’s fine, I don’t really care,” Alex said and Michael had to assume it’s because Alex had his own secrets, “But you guys followed us and broke into Jim’s cabin and‒”

“So did you!” Max argued. Michael could see the lumps of where his wings were already coming out to play. Sometimes he felt bad for Max. He couldn’t have any strong feelings without risking exposing them all. Sure, Alex was trustworthy, but most people weren’t.

They’d seen ET. They know what happens when aliens get discovered. Much less ones with wings.

Michael remembered the first time he went to a museum that had a reconstruction of some prehistoric animal’s wings that looked _too_ similar to his own just tacked up on display. He’d almost had a panic attack at thinking they might cut his off to put on display one day.

He was pulled back to reality with Alex’s demeaning, sarcastic smile. He loved that smile.

“We didn’t break in, Jim knows we’re here,” Alex said, shaking his head as he finally tossed the blanket off his thighs, “I wanted one night where I didn’t have to be scared to touch my boyfriend.” Michael’s entire face lit up. “But _clearly_ we will never be granted alone time.”

“You turned 17 like last week, you don’t _need_ alone time,” Isobel said and all three boys looked at her.

“You sound like Mom,” Max whispered as if he didn’t want to undermine her. She waved him off, turning to Michael.

“C’mon Michael, let’s go home.”

_Home_, she said. Michael didn’t have one of those. He slept in his truck when he wasn’t sleeping on the floor of Max’s room. He’d tried to sleep in the shed at Alex’s, but it made him far too anxious to even close his eyes to get some rest knowing that his dad could walk in at any time. How disastrous would that have been?

Michael didn’t know where she intended him to go. Why the hell would he leave a cozy cabin where his _boyfriend_‒that’s the word Alex had used so it must be okay‒was? He wanted to stay here and he had no better option. This was the best option.

“No, I’m staying with Alex,” Michael argued. She looked almost betrayed.

“Look,” Alex said again, his voice firm and grounded and far more adult than the 17-year-old body it came out of, “I understand you don’t trust me. While I don’t understand what’s so serious that you’d break into a Sheriff’s house, I do get that it must be extremely important. I’m not going to betray you, though, and I’m definitely not going to betray Michael. He doesn’t have to tell me anything. But let him stay.”

“If he stays, you’ll know!” Isobel snapped. Michael couldn’t deny that. Every time Alex touched him, his wings would start pressing and wanting to come out. It was like they were jealous of the rest of him and wanted to be touched by Alex too. If they did what Michael was pretty sure they were going to do, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to control himself.

Alex looked between them and Michael chewed on his lip. He trusted Alex and he trusted Alex not to tell. They had grown extremely close and they had told each other things they’d never told anyone else. They’d kissed and touched and Alex had kissed the wing scars on his back without any question. No matter what horror story Michael told him, he’d never looked scared of him. He had nothing _but_ trust for Alex. Well, he had a couple more feelings for him, but that was for a different time.

“Maybe that’s a chance you’ll just have to take,” Alex said, still sounding wise beyond his years. He did that a lot. It made Michael feel like he was in the presence of someone really important. He was.

Isobel glared at him for a moment before turning around completely, facing her two brothers. Max just looked like he gave up caring if Alex knew or not and Michael had a hunch that was because he felt like this was a perfect excuse to tell Liz. He had it in his mind that he needed to tell whoever he dated _before_ he dated them that he was an alien with leathery, white wings that had a 6-foot wingspan that may pop out at any moment. Michael envied him sometimes, his were so pretty and picturesque. Angelic, almost. Michael’s were larger with visible veins and colored almost black, spanning damn near 10 feet last time he measured. It made him feel villainous in comparison.

He didn’t want to get started on the red beauties that were Isobel’s wings.

“Michael,” she said, looking at him like this was her last effort, “Do you _really_ trust him?” Michael nodded. She turned back to Isobel.

“Whatever you find out… I want you to know that I’m not afraid to melt your brain if you even consider sharing,” she said, giving him that distinctly _Isobel_ smile before grabbing Max by the arm and stomping out the door. It was way past curfew for them, that had to be the only reason it was so easy to get rid of her.

But that left Michael and Alex alone.

“Boyfriend, huh?” Michael asked. Alex rolled his eyes, standing up and walking closer to him. Michael was sitting on the edge of the dining table and was still shirtless from before they were interrupted. 

“Your friends just busted in here, caused a huge scene, and I _took_ a nap, which I have questions about, but then made it very clear you have some massive secret that you’re keeping from the world, and you want to talk about us being boyfriends?” Alex asked, stepping closer and between his thighs. Michael liked that he didn’t even have to ask to get that close.

“Yes,” Michael answered honestly. Alex smiled easily, leaning his forehead against Michael’s and letting his hands slide up his chest, over his shoulders, and down his back. Michael wondered if he could feel the way his wings were eager to unfold and, by the way he paused over them momentarily, he thought he probably could. “You’re not scared of me, are you?”

“No,” Alex said, shaking his head, “I don’t think there’s anything that you could do that could scare me.”

“Really?” Michael asked, feeling the tips push harder. He assumed if he had a mirror, he probably looked like he was growing a hunch. That’s what Max looked like, at least. They still didn’t know exactly where the wings came from or went‒there was no way he could house 10-feet of flesh and bone just casually in his shoulder blades‒but there wasn’t really a way to find out. It was easier to just let it happen.

“Mmm,” Alex hummed, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to his lips as if they were just going to pick up where they left off before Isobel and Max arrived, “You’re my favorite person, Michael Guerin, and I support you completely. You could tell me you collect human heads and I would give you tips on what to put them in.” Those words really shouldn’t have been romantic or sexy, but Michael’s wings shuttered and tore open the scars like they did whenever Carol Jenkins gave him a handjob at the drive-in. 

“That’s a little fucked up,” Michael whispered haphazardly into his mouth. Alex smirked, hands traveling to Michael’s jeans before he slid his tongue over Michael’s lips. That was a lot. His wings pushed out a little further.

“I’m a little fucked up.”

Michael did his best to pull his wings back into him. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know that, if he let them go, he’d probably break something. But Alex was palming methodically over the bulge in his jeans and kissing him like the world might end and it was really hard to focus on anything else.

He didn’t understand. He didn’t understand how Alex didn’t interrogate him. He didn’t understand how Alex didn’t get offended by being lied to. He didn’t understand how a boy so stunningly beautiful just took that entire scene in stride and still wanted to sleep with Michael. Or maybe that was the plan, maybe he knew and he wanted to see. Maybe he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Wait, wait,” Michael said slowly, reluctantly grabbing his wrist. Alex opened his pretty eyes. “Why are you so okay when you know I’m keeping something from you?”

He wouldn’t be keeping it for long. They were already peeking out of his back and they were probably _just_ out of view. Alex smiled, moving his hands to cup Michael’s cheeks.

“I knew you were keeping something from me the moment I met you. This isn’t that shocking that it’s something big. And maybe I’d be a little more put off if we were somewhere else, but…” Alex grinned again, that filthy little grin that had Micahel’s stomach tying in knots, “This is the only night we’ll get to be alone in the foreseeable future and you’re half-naked and I didn’t really learn anything _new_, so I would still like to take advantage of it.”

Oh. Okay. That made sense. A lot of sense, actually. Michael nodded, his head gravitating forward without much direction from his brain.

“We’ll talk about whatever it is later,” Alex added, letting them share a kiss, “I’m still a horny teenage boy and you’re still my really hot boyfriend, so this really comes first to me.”

It happened really fast and Michael almost cursed himself for it. All it took was Alex taking Michael’s bottom lip between his teeth for his wings to whip out completely, taking out a lamp and rattling some hanging pots.

Alex lurched back in shock, his eyes wide as he took in the sight before him. Michael felt his stomach drop. He’d always imagined the first time he showed Alex his wings to be something super elegant, similar to that scene in Twilight. He’d bring him out to the desert, tell him something slightly cryptic and romantic, and let them come out gradually and dramatically. He planned on background music.

Instead, there were just slamming pans and shattered glass and his wings had to bend to avoid bumping into the walls. It was easily the least sexy way he could've done that.

“Holy shit,” Alex cursed, eyes wide. Micahel waited for him to run‒he did still have that fear‒and held his eyes strong on him so he wouldn't feel ashamed when it happened. Instead, Alex walked closer again. “Can I touch them or do you not like that?” 

He’d be lying if he said that didn’t catch him off guard.

“You can touch them,” Micahel said slowly. Alex didn’t hesitate, touching them the same way that he touched his chest and his face and his arms. It was surreal.

It got more surreal when Alex just went back to kissing him, not bothering to ask him any more questions. He assumed that would be for the ‘we’ll talk later’ part, but it was legitimately jarring to see him take _another_ thing in stride like that. His wings in stride. He smiled against Alex’s lips. For the first time in his entire life, he felt free. Fully and completely free.

He wrapped his wings around Alex, engulfing him in the heat of it all. He let out a tiny little squeak.

“Oh,” Alex breathed, nudging their noses together, “I like this.”

He decided this was the best day of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> also on my tumblr: spaceskam


End file.
